NICE launched its first community share offer on 3rd March 2015 to raise £150,000.  This was the first time N.I. residents had been able to buy into a community owned, N.I., solar energy enterprise.  Investment was invited from £250 up to £20,000.  Remarkably the share offer raised the £150,000 capital target in little over three months.   

On 17th June 2015 NICE achieved its capital investment total and put £150k straight to work.  With prudent project management it managed to fund free solar pv arrays on 13, third sector organisations totalling 130 kWp – four more installations than originally anticipated!  They were:-  Mediation N.I.; Chinese Welfare Association; Ashton Centre; Whitehead Community Association; Rathmor Centre; YMCA Londonderry; Women’s Aid Belfast & Lisburn; NIAMH Mental Wellbeing; Bryson Recycling; Ulster Wildlife Trust; Harmony Community Trust; Confederation of Community Groups and Mornington Community Project. 

On reviewing this success and the fact NICE had many more third sector organisations interested in availing of its offer the Board reviewed its financial model to account for the NIROCs changes as of October 2015 and formulated a second community share offer model. NICE Board consulted, received support from its members and subsequently launched a second community share offer in April 2016.  

This second phase share offer raised £65k which enabled NICE to do a further five ‘free of charge’ solar pv installations of 12 kWp each bringing NICE total portfolio to 18 sites totalling 190 kWp i.e.:-  Toome Industrial Development, Amenities and Leisure (TIDAL); The Nerve Centre; Galbally Youth and Community Association; Workwest Social Economy Village; and Positive Futures.